Almost a week after the earthquake which struck the country, organization and solidarity are the key words in Morocco. As a reminder, on September 9, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7 struck the territory, leaving 2,900 dead and 5,500 injured according to a report dated Tuesday September 12, 2023. Very quickly, many countries mobilized to provide aid to those most affected.
As explained by former minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who has lived in Morocco for several years, the needs are “immediate”. “First there are blankets because it is cold at night, there are food problems obviously and there are problems relating to medical care. So we transport mattresses, water, food, oil, wheat… everything necessary for these people who have nothing left” he said this Wednesday, September 13 at the microphone of the BFMTV channel.
At the same time, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched Tuesday, September 11 a fundraising appeal of around 100 million euros to support relief operations in Morocco after the terrible earthquake. “HASToday, we are launching an emergency appeal to intensify our action with the Moroccan Red Crescent. We need 100 million Swiss francs (105 million euros) to be able to meet the most urgent needs.”said the IFRC’s director of operations, Caroline Holt, during a press briefing in Geneva.
And King Mohammed VI, who visited the Marrakech university hospital this Tuesday, has clearly responded to this call to help his people. According to the local press,The monarch who donated his blood to the university hospital of Marrakech has indeed decided to make a donation of one billion dirhams (around 100 million euros) to the Special Fund for the earthquake that hit his country.
“Upon the proposal of its main shareholder, King Mohammed VI, the board of directors of Al Mada decided to grant a financial contribution to the Special Fund for the management of the effects of the earthquake which affected the Kingdom of Morocco, under in the form of a donation of 1 billion dirhams. This donation will be paid to the special account created on high royal instructions on September 11 with a view to collecting solidarity initiatives in the face of this unprecedented natural disaster” we can indeed read in the Moroccan media columns The 360.
ES